A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to disposable soft gelatin medicament capsules. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel and advantageous gripping construction and composition for soft gelatin medicament capsules.
B. Background Art
Soft gelatin capsules are used for delivery of medicaments, including medicinal preparations, topical lotions, cosmetics and the like, to external body surfaces. Such capsules are also used for delivery of medicaments to tissues within body orifices. Delivery of the medicament, which is stored within the capsule, is accomplished by removing a portion of the capsule shell (typically by twisting or tearing off a tab), and then squeezing the capsule shell, thereby forcing the medicament from the capsule. Several patents disclosing representative soft gelatin capsules are U.S. Pat. No. 2,134,489 issued to Scherer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,334,600 issued to Boysen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,397,051 issued to Scherer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,278,633 issued to Fujii, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,057 issued to Spellman et al.
Soft gelatin capsules are often small in size since only a small quantity of medicament is stored therein. Furthermore, soft gelatin capsules are typically composed largely of gelatin or gelatinous materials. Such materials tend to have a smooth exterior surface with a low coefficient of static friction. Because of the capsule's small size and slippery surface, the user often has difficulty in performing the tasks required to complete the delivery of the medicament, that is, twisting or tearing off of the tab and compressing the capsule shell. This difficulty is even more compounded if the user's hands, or the capsule, are wet or oily, for example, due to bodily excretion or lubrication. Heretofore, a soft gelatin medicament capsule overcoming these difficulties has eluded the art.